U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz has taken full responsibility for mistakenly adding a journalist to a secret group chat where top American officials discussed impending strikes in Yemen.
In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Tuesday, Waltz acknowledged his error, saying, “I take full responsibility. I built the group; my job is to make sure everything’s coordinated.”
Waltz admitted he did not personally know Jeffrey Goldberg, the journalist who was accidentally added to the chat. An investigation is underway to determine how Goldberg, editor-in-chief of The Atlantic magazine, was invited to join the confidential discussion.
Goldberg received a connection request on the encrypted messaging app Signal from a user named “Michael Waltz” on March 11. Two days later, he was included in an 18-member group chat involving Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other senior officials discussing upcoming strikes against Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
Initially suspecting a hoax, Goldberg realized the messages were authentic when the planned raid was carried out in Yemen.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed support for Waltz, emphasizing that no classified information was disclosed. “Michael Waltz has learned a lesson, and he’s a good man,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview.
Trump described Goldberg’s addition to the group chat as a “glitch” that had “no impact at all” operationally. He suggested that an aide might have added the journalist by mistake, saying, “A staffer had his number on there.”
Trump indicated that the administration would review the use of Signal but did not think Waltz should apologize. He also criticized Goldberg, calling him a “sleazebag” and asserting that “nobody gives a damn” about the story.
Meanwhile, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe faced tough questions during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday. While they insisted that no classified material was shared in the group chat, Democratic senators expressed skepticism.
Senator Angus King of Maine questioned whether the operational details discussed were indeed unclassified, noting reports that Defense Secretary Hegseth had shared information about targets, weapons, and attack sequencing.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expected the Senate Armed Services Committee to investigate the administration officials’ use of Signal. Gabbard and Ratcliffe agreed to an audit of the exchange and are set to appear before the House of Representatives on Wednesday for the annual “Worldwide Threats” hearing, where Democrats plan to discuss the incident.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called for Hegseth’s resignation, stating that he is “unfit to lead the Defense Department even before he risked our national security.” Martin added, “Hegseth should resign, and if he doesn’t resign, he should be fired. It’s crystal clear that our men and women in uniform deserve better—and that our national security cannot be left in Hegseth’s incompetent and unqualified hands.”
The leak has sparked a debate over secure communications among top officials and the potential risks associated with encrypted messaging apps.
